“Producers need additional time to come into compliance with FSMA’s produce safety rules and I commend the FDA for providing this needed flexibility.”

Conaway

House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) issued the following statement after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intention to delay the compliance dates for agricultural water requirements in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA) produce safety rule:

“Producers need additional time to come into compliance with FSMA’s produce safety rules, and I commend the FDA for providing this needed flexibility. I’ve heard from many farmers concerned with the rules and struggling to figure out how and when they have to comply with FSMA rules and regulations. This extension provides producers the time necessary to come into compliance while still protecting public health.

“I also appreciate the Trump administration’s commitment to taking a hard look at controversial rules like this one. I hope that upon further review of the unintended consequences of these costly rules and continued communications with the farmers and ranchers affected by them, FDA can work with stakeholders to swiftly address their concerns.”